The foundation of a strong educational system lies in efficient student relationship management. However, without a proper system in place, missed follow-ups, fragmented communication channels, and disorganized data can harm the overall educational experience.
For this purpose, a dedicated customer relationship management (CRM) becomes essential for educational institutions that are looking to modernize their workflow operations.
The good news? Several industry-leading CRM platforms offer completely free plans or extensive free trials specifically designed for educational needs. To help you find the perfect fit for your institution, we've curated a comprehensive list of nine powerful CRM solutions tailored for schools, colleges, universities, and educational organizations.
Nine Best Free CRM For Education
Software
Our Ratings
Top Features
HubSpot CRM Software
4.6
★★★★★
Marketing automation
Content management
Improve customer retention
Increase prospect engagement
Zoho CRM Software
4.7
★★★★★
AI automation
Customization
Lead management
Microsoft Dynamics 365
N/A
Supply chain management
Finance management
Global apps framework
Marketing automation
Keap Software
5
★★★★★
Small business automation
Lead management
Sales automation
Lifestyle automation
monday.com Software
4.6
★★★★★
Contact management
Project management
Sales forecasting
Activity tracking
ActiveCampaign Software
4.8
★★★★★
Active intelligence
Customer relationship management
Content creation
Marketing automation
Freshworks
3.9
★★★★★
Communication channels
Marketing automation
Analytics and reporting
AI capabilities
Less Annoying CRM Software
5
★★★★★
Daily agenda summary
Task and event assignments
Unlimited custom pipeline fields
Visibility and access permissions
Pipedrive CRM
4.5
★★★★★
Financial management
Contact management
Lead management
Project management
1. HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM Software is well known for providing free CRM services to educational institutions. Its comprehensive marketing automation tools are valuable for the admission teams who manage large volumes of student inquiries across multiple programs.
Moreover, its student lifecycle tracking capabilities help maintain relationships from initial inquiry to graduation. The platform also offers email marketing tools that enable personalized communication campaigns for different student segments.
Top Features
Marketing Automation: Automates emails, follow-ups, and campaigns to streamline workflow operations.
Content Management: Simplifies the management of digital content creation and organization across multiple channels.
Improve Customer Retention: Builds customer trust by providing personalized experiences and timely check-ins.
Increase Prospect Engagement: Enhances engagement rates through targeted messaging and customer behavior-driven outreach.
Pros And Cons
Pros:
Real-time notifications based on lead behavior enable timely and strategic follow-ups
Personalized email sequences to cater to new leads and existing customers
User-friendly interface helps facilitate both beginners and advanced professionals
Cons:
Limited to one email per contact, which restricts communication flexibility
Lacks customization capabilities, which may hinder tailoring workflows to specific firm needs
2. Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM Software is notable in the field of education for providing features that are tailored to the needs of the education sector. It is especially meant to cater to the distinctive needs of academic institutions. Its student portal and multi-channel communication enable the management of complex admission processes with less effort, no matter how intricate the process is.
At the same time, its all-around analytics offer valuable information on how students are getting involved and the rates at which enrollments are being converted.
Top Features
AI Automation: Offers Zia, an AI assistant that handles repetitive tasks to regulate workflow by automating data entry and reminders.
Customization: Enables you to organize your dashboards and settings according to your business needs.
Lead Management: Helps you track and convert leads, preventing the risk of missing any opportunity.
Pros And Cons
Pros:
Intuitive interface reduces onboarding time
Dedicated mobile app helps manage operations and stay connected
Provides maximum data security for the protection of sensitive information
Cons:
Limited availability of custom fields restricts data personalization
Restricted customer support availability may limit assistance during off-hours
3. Microsoft Dynamics 365
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is an advanced CRM solution that is designed to support institutions that have already adopted Microsoft products. The compatibility between Office 365, Teams, and other Microsoft applications not only simplifies the operations of the educational system but also helps it to provide better services to the students.
Furthermore, the smart machine-learning features of the platform are gaining traction with institutions that expect to extract valuable insights from their data.
Top Features
Supply Chain Management: Provides deeper insights into inventory orders and logistics, allowing you to track everything from start to end.
Finance Management: Manages your finances by keeping track of bills and expenses to maintain a balanced budget.
Global Apps Framework: Supports multi-currency and multi-language setups for international teams with global app connectivity.
Marketing Automation: Automates follow-ups and outreach to help you connect with the right customers at the right time.
Pros And Cons
Pros
Streamlines data flow and enhances cross-functional collaboration by integrating CRM and enterprise resource planning (ERP) tools.
Scales effortlessly to fit your workflow without requiring major infrastructure modifications.
Cloud-based access allows working from anywhere, reducing the need for physical hardware.
Cons
Complex customizations may require expert development support and can lead to increased maintenance.
Performance may slow down with large datasets.
4. Keap
Keap Software, now part of Thryv, specializes in automated marketing that is effective for smaller educational institutions and specialized programs. Its automated follow-up sequences help maintain consistent communication with prospective students throughout educational settings.
Furthermore, the platform's appointment scheduling and lead scoring features are especially valuable for admissions teams managing personalized consultation processes. Its small business focus makes it the right choice for private schools, tutoring centers, and specialized educational programs requiring personalized attention.
Top Features
Small Business Automation: Keeps track of everyday tasks like workflow management and follow-ups.
Lead Management: Enables you to capture and organize leads without missing any opportunity.
Sales Automation: Accelerates your sales processes with various tools that handle pipeline updates automatically.
Lifestyle Automation: Blends your business tools with regular tasks to save time for your personal space.
Pros And Cons
Pros
Supports advanced automations, including personalized workflows as per the preferences.
Automatically captures leads through integrated forms, landing pages, and social media channels.
Includes built-in payment processors for seamless and secure payment management.
Cons
Email design capabilities may be limited, which could affect visual customization.
Scalability may be insufficient for larger enterprises with complex workflows.
5. monday.com
monday.com Software provides visual workflow management that can be very beneficial for schools or universities that have a variety of projects or events. Besides that, it organizes the academic programs and manages different projects of the institution with the help of automated status updates.
Features like timeline management and collaboration are instrumental in academic institutions managing complicated schedules, accreditation processes, or multi-semester program planning. Together, these functionalities contribute to ensuring that nothing gets lost during the hectic academic periods.
Top Features
Contact Management: Centralizes all customer conversations and history in one place for easy access.
Project Management: Helps plan and track tasks so your team stays aligned and meets deadlines efficiently.
Sales Forecasting: Provides predictive insights into future revenue by analyzing trends and performance data.
Activity Tracking: Keeps you updated on tasks and meetings, ensuring you stay alert about all ongoing activities.
Pros And Cons
Pros:
Offers a user-friendly interface that enhances usability and customer engagement
Allows users to tailor boards, templates, and processes to match specific operational needs
Includes real-time collaboration tools that improve team communication and productivity
Cons:
The mobile app offers limited functionality compared to the desktop version
Task filtering tools are restrictive, limiting the ability to segment and prioritize tasks based on specific criteria
6. ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign Software excels in email marketing automation and behavioral tracking. These features make the product ideal for educational institutions that need complex communication strategies. Through its dynamic content personalization, organizations can highlight potential students based on their interests, academic programs, and activity history.
Behavioral automation functionalities of the platform enable the recording of student behavior at different points of contact. Furthermore, an institution's advanced split testing can be used to improve the effectiveness of communications.
Top Features
Active Intelligence: Allows you to make informed decisions by turning real-time data into smart insights.
Customer Relationship Management: Keeps track of every interaction and customer need to build stronger connections.
Content Creation: Simplifies digital content creation and sharing to resonate with the targeted audience.
Marketing Automation: Manages outreach and follow-ups to keep you at the top of the industry.
Pros And Cons
Pros:
Ensures the maximum reach and effectiveness of email campaigns
Offers industry-leading automation tools to enhance customer engagement
Provides top-tier analytics and reporting features for data-driven decision-making and performance tracking
Cons:
Templates are relatively basic in design, which may limit visual appeal for advanced branding needs
Lacks a built-in stock image library, requiring users to source visuals externally
7. Freshworks
Freshworks CRM offers AI-powered lead scoring and automated communication features that play a prominent role in the management of high volumes of prospective student inquiries. Its behavioral tracking capabilities help admissions teams identify the most engaged prospects and prioritize follow-up efforts accordingly.
The platform's integrated phone and email systems streamline communication processes, while its visual sales pipeline provides clear visibility into enrollment conversion rates across different academic programs. Thus, instead of relying on the traditional patterns this software is ideal to manage the educational workflow without any hustle.
Top Features
Communication Channels: Centralizes customer interactions through social media and email chat in one place.
Marketing Automation: Helps you stay consistent by automating campaigns and follow-ups.
Analytics And Reporting: Tracks your performance and turns data into actionable insights to streamline workflows.
AI Capabilities: Boosts productivity by utilizing smarter tools that help you work more efficiently.
Pros And Cons
Pros:
Responsive customer support for resolving inquiries and issues
Automation capabilities enhance efficiency in managing tasks and streamlining workflows
Easy setup improves productivity and simplifies information technology (IT) processes for faster implementation
Cons:
Limited customization options can hinder integration and reduce flexibility across different platform versions
Integration challenges make it difficult to manage and customize multiple products effectively within a unified workflow
8. Less Annoying CRM
Less Annoying CRM Software provides seamless contact management as compared to the complexity found in larger CRM platforms. The software offers comprehensive features including contact database management, pipeline tracking for admissions or donor relationships, task management, calendar integration, and detailed reporting capabilities. Users can organize contacts with custom fields, track interactions and communications, set follow-up reminders, and generate insights through built-in analytics tools.
Priced at $15 per user per month with a 30-day free trial, it offers simple pricing with no additional fees, contracts, or tiers. Thus, there is no need for a huge investment for the basic relationship management of an institution. Additionally, its intuitive interface requires minimal training, making it ideal for schools with limited technical resources.
Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.
Top Features
Daily Agenda Summary: Provides a quick snapshot of your daily schedule and tasks to help you start your day uniformly.
Task And Event Assignments: Allows you to assign responsibilities and deadlines so the whole team stays alert on daily tasks.
Unlimited Custom Pipeline Fields: Enables you to tailor your sales or project pipelines with as many fields as your business requires.
Visibility And Access Permissions: Provides a complete security setup to keep sensitive information secured and organized.
Pros And Cons
Pros:
Intuitive, easy-to-use interface enhances user efficiency and overall productivity
Reliable customer support provides quick responses and attentive assistance
Supports unlimited contacts, allowing businesses to scale without data restrictions
Cons:
Call-related issues, including syncing and managing contact changes, can disrupt communication workflows
Data entry is time-consuming, requiring more efficient contact input methods
9. Pripedrive
Pipedrive CRM excels in visual pipeline management, making it particularly effective for admissions offices tracking prospective students through various enrollment stages. The platform offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, though it doesn't have a permanently free plan. Its activity scheduling features help admissions staff maintain consistent follow-up with applicants. Moreover, its goal tracking capabilities enable institutions to monitor enrollment targets and conversion rates across different programs.
The platform's smart contact data management automatically enriches student profiles with publicly available information. This ultimately results in minimizing manual data entry for admissions teams.
Top Features
Financial Management: Simplifies your finances by balancing expenses and invoices using various tools.
Contact Management: Keeps all your customer information organized to help you build more personal relationships.
Lead Management: Nurtures potential customers and tracks them uniformly to avoid missing any opportunities.
Project Management: Organizes and aligns your team by analyzing regular tasks and progress updates.
Pros And Cons
Pros:
User-friendly interface with a clean, visual pipeline simplifies deal management and progress tracking
Offers high customization with adaptable fields, stages, and pipelines to match unique sales workflows
Customer support is consistently responsive and available to assist with any issues that arise
Cons:
Automation flexibility is limited, making it challenging to manage complex workflows and diverse sales scenarios effectively
Occasional technical issues may disrupt workflow and system reliability
Choosing The Right Free CRM For Education
When it comes to the selection of an appropriate CRM for your educational institution, it's about finding a solution that streamlines administrative workflows and supports your institution's academic mission. The nine platforms highlighted are a perfect fit for pipeline management and student lifecycle tracking. Each software is designed to address the unique challenges faced by modern educational institutions.
Still, if you need assistance evaluating these options or require personalized recommendations based on your institution's specific needs, feel free to reach out for tailored guidance.
